(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication method of a terminal and a communication method of a base station for setting up and utilizing a direct communication link between terminals.
(b) Description of the Related Art
In a mobile communication system, in order to support a proximity-based service, a method of forming a direct communication link to perform communications between terminals is suggested. In particular, in IEEE 802.16n, IEEE 802.16.1a, and 3GPPP Direct Communication, a direct communication link between terminals is discussed.
When two terminals exist in a coverage area of a base station and an area where the two terminals may communicate with each other, a direct communication link is formed between the terminals so that data may be exchanged between the terminals. Under a frame structure of an infra communication (i.e., a cellular communication) between a base station and terminals, parts of resources for the cellular communication are used by terminals that utilize a direct communication link between terminals. Partial resources of an uplink in an infra communication (cellular communication) frame are allocated as radio communication resources for a direct communication link between terminals and the base station, and the terminals that participate in the infra communication do not use the resources allocated to the direct communication link between terminals. In the resources allocated as described above, the terminals perform the direct communication link between terminals by direct communication link protocols and processes.
In conventional methods, methods of performing communications using a direct link between terminals are described. However, development of a method of searching adjacent terminals to determine whether the direct communication link may be formed between terminals is insufficient.